Apparatus, method and system for controlling strip radius in a printing system

Abstract

An apparatus, system and method are provided for controlling one or more strip radii in a fuser. The fuser has a first member having a first surface. The fuser also has a belt having a first portion that contacts the first surface of the first member. The fuser further has a second member having a second surface that contacts a second portion of the belt in a region defining a nip. The fuser additionally has a stripping apparatus, positioned downstream of the nip in a process direction, comprising one or more adjustable blades configured to selectively exert one or more variable predetermined pressures on one or more selected sections of the first portion of the belt causing one or more selectable strip radii.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus useful in printing comprising:
 a first member having a first surface; 
 a belt having a first portion that contacts the first surface of the first member; 
 a second member having a second surface that contacts a second portion of the belt in a region defining a nip; 
 a stripping apparatus, positioned downstream of the nip in a process direction, comprising two or more adjustable blades configured to selectively exert two or more variable predetermined pressures on one or more selected sections of the first portion of the belt causing one or more selectable strip radii, wherein the two or more variable predetermined pressures are controlled, at least in part, by selectively actuating one or more of the two or more adjustable blades; and 
 two or more fulcrum systems comprising one or more components, wherein a degree of depression of the two or more blades that causes the two or more variable predetermined pressures is further controlled, at least in part, by a movement of the one or more components of at least two of the two or more fulcrum systems and the two or more variable predetermined pressures are further controlled based, at least in part, on a determination of two or more material types of the one or more components of the two or more fulcrum systems. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more variable predetermined pressures are further controlled based, at least in part, on a determination of two or more materials of the two or more adjustable blades. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein at least one adjustable blade of the two or more adjustable blades comprises a different material than another blade of the two or more adjustable blades. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more variable predetermined pressures are further controlled based, at least in part, on a determination of two or more geometries of the two or more. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more variable predetermined pressures are further controlled based, at least in part, on a determination of two or more geometries of the one or more components of the two or more fulcrum systems. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one fulcrum system of the two or more fulcrum systems comprises one or more components that are comprised of one or more different materials than one or more components of another fulcrum system of the two or more fulcrum systems. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more selectable strip radii are selectively caused to change based on a determination of one or more of a media type, a media geometry, a belt geometry, an image type, an image location, a process speed, and a process timing. 
     
     
       8. A method for stripping a substrate in a printing process comprising:
 defining a nip in an apparatus useful in printing, the apparatus comprising:
 a first member having a first surface; 
 a belt having a first portion that contacts the first surface of the first member; 
 a second member having a second surface that contacts a second portion of the belt in a region defining a nip; and 
 a stripping apparatus, positioned downstream of the nip in a process direction, comprising two or more adjustable blades configured to selectively exert two or more variable predetermined pressures on one or more selected sections of the first portion of the belt to cause one or more selectable strip radii; 
 
 causing, at least in part, the one or more selectable strip radii; 
 causing, at least in part, stripping of the substrate from the belt; 
 controlling the two or more variable predetermined pressures, at least in part, by selectively actuating one or more of the two or more adjustable blades; 
 wherein the apparatus further comprises two or more fulcrum systems comprising one or more components, the method further comprising: 
 controlling, at least in part, a degree of depression of the two or more blades that causes the two or more variable predetermined pressures by a movement of the one or more components of at least one of the two or more fulcrum systems 
 controlling the two or more variable predetermined pressures based, at least in part, on a determination of two or more material types of the one or more components of the two or more fulcrum systems. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 controlling the two or more variable predetermined pressures based, at least in part, on a determination of two or more materials of the two or more adjustable blades. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein at least one adjustable blade of the two or more adjustable blades comprises a different material than another blade of the two or more adjustable blades. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 controlling the two or more variable predetermined pressures based, at least in part, on a determination of two or more geometries of the two or more adjustable blades. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 controlling the two or more variable predetermined pressures based, at least in part, on a determination of two or more geometries of the one or more components of the two or more fulcrum systems. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 selectively causing the one or more selectable strip radii to change based on a determination of one or more of a media type, a media geometry, a belt geometry, an image type, an image location, a process speed, and a process timing.